Not Once, Not Twice
by Hogwarts Duo
Summary: Albus has finally worked up enough courage to ask Minerva on a date but she refused him. Not once but twice! But he’s never been one to give up easily. Will the third time be the charm? Complete!


**Summary:** Albus has finally worked up enough courage to ask Minerva on a date but she refused him. Not once but twice! But he's never been one to give up easily. Will the third time be the charm? Complete!

**Rating:** PG

**Disclaimer: **We hope you've guessed by now that we don't own these characters. We merely borrow them from JK Rowling.

**A/N:** When we were writing _A Truth Brought to Light_, Albus Dumbledore mentioned in one of his entries that he had made several attempts at developing his relationship with Minerva beyond that of mere friendship. Unfortunately, she had missed the signs. HappyReader! asked what he did to win her heart that could be so easily misinterpreted. Well, thanks to her question, this plot bunny was formed and we now present you with…

**_Not Once, Not Twice…_**

Albus Dumbledore felt something stirring which caused his neck to warm. An emotion he was unfamiliar with started to overwhelm his senses. With a start he realized he was embarrassed and knew his neck and cheeks were probably flushed pink with a blush. Taking the flowers he was still holding in his hand, he turned and walked back to his office.

He was perplexed by Minerva's actions. They had developed a wonderful friendship after she began teaching at Hogwarts a few years ago. It wasn't really too much of a stretch from when she had been his student. Her animagus training in her sixth and seventh years had taken up many of their evenings and had allowed a more casual acquaintance to form than would be normal between a professor and student.

Granted they had lost contact after she graduated and the first time they had spoken in many years was when she began her career as a teacher. But over time he felt he had grown to know her well. She was not one to be shy and would speak her mind when necessary. It was her strong courage and forthrightness that had probably caused her to be sorted into Gryffindor rather than Ravenclaw, which had seemed the perfect fit for the intelligent witch.

As he thought about his actions and Minerva's response, Albus was still as puzzled as ever. Recently, he had begun to feel a deeper connection with the youngest professor of Hogwarts. Never one to back down once an idea had formed he decided to take a chance on their new friendship and made plans to ask her out on a date. He had thought about where to broach the subject with her and had decided that after the last class of the day would be perfect.

They normally only saw each other at meals, in the halls between classes, at faculty meetings, quidditch matches and in the teacher's lounge. Even their weekly chess games, which had started a few months back, took place in the teacher's lounge. He didn't relish asking her out on a first date in front of a crowd but it seemed nearly inevitable. But as he was about to give up hope, he realized that after classes let out for the day, most students were anxious to move on and most teachers stayed behind to work on various projects.

With that thought on his mind, he made arrangements to get a bouquet of flowers from the greenhouses and the next day when his last class ended he brought them with him to the door of her office. She had been unaware of his presence and he watched her as she gathered some items the students had left behind and put her papers into an orderly stack. She was very beautiful and so graceful as she moved around the room. Her hair, which was a midnight black, was caught into a tight bun. It was a sore spot for Minerva since Albus tended to tease her about it. He felt it was a bit too old of a style for a witch of her age, professor or not. Minerva on the other hand insisted that it was the most efficient hairstyle to have and it kept the errant strands out of her eyes.

Not wanting to be accused of spying, he cleared his throat and called her name softly as she started to gather up her things. Minerva glanced up for only a moment with a smile on her face as she continued to put the final papers on top of the large stack.

"Albus, what a pleasant surprise! Can I help you with anything?"

Starting to feel a bit nervous, he took the bouquet out from behind his back. "I was hoping you had a few minutes to spare."

"Actually, I am late for a meeting and am behind on some paperwork but perhaps tomorrow we can talk." He couldn't hide his surprise as she brushed past him and out into the hall not giving him a second look.

Now, here he was trying to put together the pieces of a rather odd puzzle. Why had Minerva asked him if he wanted anything and then left in such a hurry? If she didn't want his attentions, she simply had to say as much. He would have taken the rejection with grace and moved on. Collapsing into the nearest chair, he summoned a vase for the flowers still held in his hand and began to contemplate what to say the next time he saw her.

The next day, Minerva was running late for breakfast. She hurried along the corridors after dropping a stack of papers at her office. She had been teaching for a while now but of late, she felt like she had on her first day. Classes and other obligations had kept her running around at a pace that was causing her to burn out. She knew she needed to take a short vacation before pure exhaustion forced her body to stop without her consent. As she rounded the corner into the Great Hall, she felt a tug of disappointment.

Albus' place was empty and she surmised that he had already come and gone. A very real possibility since there were very few students in attendance. She made her way to her seat and piled a couple of items on her plate before taking her first sip of tea. Minerva needed to talk to the transfiguration professor and wasn't sure when an opportunity would present itself. She felt she owed Albus an apology after her abrupt dismissal of him yesterday.

She had truly wanted to speak with him but just as she was about to invite him inside, she had seen her remembrall glow and realized that she was late for her meeting with Headmaster Dippet. She had requested the meeting to discuss starting a special class which would teach a little history on powerful dark wizards and their techniques for gathering followers, growing power and eventually their success at taking over vast quantities of land. She hoped it would help refine the education of those who were interested in becoming aurors.

She knew as soon as she was headed down the hall that she had been downright rude. Her words were barely civil and she hadn't even looked at him when she had spoken. Minerva had let all the other items pressing for her attention overrule her good manners. And it was a mistake she intended on correcting. Especially since Albus was one of her closest friends and she couldn't afford to lose his friendship, especially since it was what held her together at times.

As she contemplated her actions from the previous day, Minerva couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt tug at her heart and she knew that the only way to get rid of those feelings would be to make amends with Albus as soon as possible. If she was really lucky, she might be able to catch a quick word with him before lunch. And with that decision made, she hurriedly finished breakfast and made her way to her first class of the day.

Unfortunately for Minerva, the morning seemed extremely slow. Much too slow for her at times. Then again, when she tried to think of words to adequately apologize to Albus for her behavior, there weren't enough hours in the day. Minerva had always found it hard to admit an error on her part but when she had wronged someone, especially a friend, it made it all the more difficult. But before she really had time to gather her thoughts, the class had ended and her students hurried off to lunch.

Dropping into the large chair behind her desk, Minerva signed deeply. She wanted to compose herself before she faced Albus and then something strange crossed her mind.

_I wonder what exactly Albus wanted to discuss with me yesterday. He didn't seem himself but if it had been important he would have mentioned it. I must remember to make it a special point to question him about that. Yes, maybe that can be my way of broaching the subject of yesterday's events._

Minerva rose from her chair and made her way to the Great Hall for lunch. But, just like breakfast, she was faced with an empty seat that was normally occupied by her dearest and most trusted friend. When she inquired about his whereabouts she was told that he had popped in briefly, prepared a small plate of food and had returned to his private chambers to work on some essays before the afternoon session began.

For the young witch teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, her afternoons were normally energetic and exciting. She adored teaching the older classes and found that she had many talented witches and wizards, all eager to learn what she had to offer. Yet today she found herself less enthused and almost wishing that she could cancel classes. This issue with Albus was slowly beginning to affect her routine and her thinking and that would never do. And as the afternoon slowly ticked by, she knew that a private chat with him after dinner would be the only solution to this new development.

The evening meal at Hogwarts was an odd one for Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall. Not long after she began teaching, the other professors decided to seat them side-by-side. They said it was easier than passing messages or repeating missed words from their often lively conversations. Tonight, however, Albus seemed a bit distant and distracted from her. Even though she tried to engage him in conversation, he still seemed a bit preoccupied.

Although he was genial with the others around them and seemed to be having a good time, when he turned in her direction he became reserved. In fact, he seemed to be keeping his body turned away from her unless she was speaking directly to him and even his voice, which was normally warm with laughter, seemed a bit frigid. His actions reminded her of when he had been her teacher and she his student.

Most evenings after dinner, the professors would retire to the staff room for discussions on their day or problem students, play games of exploding snap or chess, and even muggle checkers. It had been Albus and Minerva's habit to engage in spirited games of chess while their colleagues watched in awe as they matched wits. She hoped that Albus might venture to the staff room where she could persuade him to play a game. That would enable her to offer her most sincere apologies.

When Minerva entered the large room, it was uninhabited. She breathed deeply and silently prayed that Albus would join her shortly, before they were faced with an audience for their discussion. It would be hard enough to say what needed to be said to Albus alone but to have to do so with everyone in the room would prove to be tricky. No matter what anyone said, she knew that Hogwarts, just like every place on earth, had a set of people that loved to gossip. And she had no intentions of giving them something to gossip about which involved them.

Settling down before the chessboard, Minerva began to arrange the players in the hopes that her best friend would join her soon. She didn't have to wait very long for he soon arrived with Armando Dippet in tow. As the Headmaster proceeded to make himself a cup of tea, Albus conjured a cup of cocoa and sat in his usual place behind the black chessmen and waited for Minerva to meet his gaze.

"Are you sure you still want to play a game of chess with me this evening?" Albus raised quizzical eyebrows at her remark.

"Minerva, why do you ask such a question? Is it not our habit to play chess in the staff room? Of course if you would rather play with someone…"

"No, no. That's not it at all. I thought you might still be upset with me after my little display yesterday. I was very rude and I need to explain. You see I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately, what with classes and my other duties. And you walked in around the same time that my remembrall began to glow. I swept from the office without so much as a backwards glance to you and obviously you wanted to speak privately with me about something."

By this time the rest of the staff had joined the gathering and despite their actions, it was clear to Albus and Minerva that they were eavesdropping. Albus had already seen first hand how things could get blown out of proportion once the rumors started and he had no intention of allowing Minerva's good name to be spoiled. So even though he wanted to continue the discussion with her, he felt it best if they just make a fresh start and pretend it never happened. Unfortunately, Minerva was not so easily persuaded.

"Minerva, I think it might be best if we just forget yesterday. I should've realized how busy you were. Think no more about it."

"But you obviously came to see me about something important. Otherwise you would have just waited until you saw me at dinner. Please, Albus, I am ready to listen if you will only let me."

The nosey witches and wizards tried to make small talk in hushed tones while listening to what was being said in the corner over the chessboard. Taking a cue from Albus, Minerva looked around to see them all straining to hear what was being discussed. Catching on quickly, she knew that it might be best if they continued the discussion later. After whispering her concerns to Albus, he assured her that there was nothing left to say and that all was forgiven and forgotten.

Days passed and the two professors seemed to be back to their old routines. But Albus could not forget the way Minerva had been deeply touched by the thought of having offended him.

_Maybe she truly was just preoccupied. Maybe it was an honest mistake. Could I be so lucky as to believe that she might actually feel something more for me than just an old professor or a colleague? Well, Albus my boy, there's only one way to find out!_

Several bits of parchment, a spilled ink bottle, a broken quill, and an impending headache later, Albus looked down at the letter in front of him and sighed. He, the man who had never had trouble speaking to women before, was faced with a new challenge. He wanted to invite Minerva out on a date so the wording had to be perfect. In the end, he chose a simple owl and hoped that she would understand the meaning behind it.

_Dear Minerva,_

_I would very much like to meet with you one evening, preferably on a weekend. Please let me know if you are free and which night would be best for your busy schedule._

_Always,_

_Albus_

As the butterflies began to swarm in his stomach, he folded the bit of parchment, sealed it with his family crest dipped in the deepest shade of purple wax and sent Fawkes away with the message. With any luck he would receive a response quickly and he could begin to plan a wonderful evening for the two of them…alone.

Minerva had just curled up in her favorite chair by the fire when Fawkes appeared beside her startling her and almost causing her to spill her tea. The confounded bird chirped a happy greeting and flew over to her owl stand to settle down. Minerva took a few deep breaths to settle her racing heart and then eyed the gorgeous creature. She picked herself up off the chair and gracefully walked over to the bird that was now grooming itself. "Fawkes, you had better have a good reason for nearly scaring me to death. And don't pretend you didn't do it on purpose."

As the two eyed each other warily, Minerva realized how foolish she was being and quickly removed the note from his leg. It had been tense between Fawkes and Minerva since they had first met. If she didn't know better, she would think the magical creature was jealous. Of course Fawkes was never mean to her but he liked to take her by surprise and would sometimes interrupt her conversations with Albus when she visited him in his office.

Minerva unrolled the bit of parchment and read it over. Her eyes scanned it again and then she began to laugh. Albus was always coming up with brilliant ideas. To meet on the weekend was an excellent suggestion. She was always less busy and so was he, as were all the professors. In fact she had run into him in Hogsmeade a few times on the weekends and they had even shared a butterbeer with some of their colleagues while discussing the latest teaching policies the Board of Governors had imposed.

She quickly wrote a reply directly on the note and gave it back to Fakes to take to Albus. She had suggested meeting this weekend as it was a Hogsmeade weekend for the students and would give them a longer period of time for discussion without interruption. Fawkes disappeared as quickly as he came and Minerva found herself mulling over a thought.

_Why had Albus written his request in a note rather than waiting until breakfast? Perhaps the question he was going to ask was more important than she originally thought, although she couldn't fathom what it would be._

Albus had just stopped pacing his office when Fawkes returned with the answer. He eagerly took the piece of parchment and read Minerva's reply. His heart skipped a beat as he read the response again, savoring her words.

_Dear Albus,_

_I would be honored to meet with you this Saturday at a time of your choosing._

_Warmest regards,_

_Minerva_

Albus woke the next morning in high spirits. He had started planning their first date the moment he had seen her reply. He wanted to make everything perfect. His happiness however became tainted with nervousness when he neared the Great Hall for breakfast. He told himself that he was no longer an adolescent but it didn't seem to be helping. As he took his place at the table, Minerva turned for a moment from her current conversation and smiled in greeting, causing Albus' stomach to do flips.

He started to load his plate with the delicacies from the kitchens and poured himself his morning cup of tea. He exchanged greetings with several of his colleagues seated around him waiting for Minerva to finish her discussion with the herbology professor. It seemed to take forever and he took the time to study her covertly.

He smiled when her back stiffened as she quietly disputed her colleague's point. Anytime Minerva felt strongly about something she would stiffen her back in preparation to argue. Albus had recognized this trait in the years he had taught her. Minerva had many unconscious traits and would probably be horrified if they were ever pointed out. Like the way she would tap her wand against her leg when she became nervous. Most saw this as either a show of impatience or anger but Albus knew better.

He was brought out of his reverie by the sound of her voice greeting him formally for the morning. His eyes met hers and he smiled. "Good morning. I take it you put the good professor in his place."

A hint of a blush rose in Minerva's cheeks causing Albus to chuckle. "I did no such thing. We were simply discussing a topic on which I was a bit more familiar."

"And I take it he agreed with you in the end?"

Minerva let a small smile play about her lips. "Let's just say he saw my ideas on the topic as the more logical after I made my points."

The conversation lulled while the two professors finished their breakfast in preparation for the beginning of class. Albus wanted to bring up the date scheduled for this weekend but something was holding him back. As he tried to decide how to broach the subject, Minerva beat him to it.

"Albus, I wanted to tell you how brilliant I think your idea is. I am actually surprised one of us didn't think of it sooner. It is so hard to get together for meetings during the week and although our weekends can be busy, they are so much more flexible. We can meet in my office if that is acceptable to you. Did you have a time in mind?"

Albus felt as if he had just been hexed and he couldn't seem to get his mind to wrap around the fact that Minerva had just, in effect, turned him down for a second time. He realized she was waiting for a response and he tried to focus his attention on coming up with something to say. His emotions, however, were in turmoil and he felt a cold queasiness start to spread through his system. "Actually Minerva, I don't think that meeting will be necessary anymore. But if anything else should come up, I will remember to suggest scheduling on the weekend in the future."

Albus was thankful that he had already finished breakfast. Otherwise he would not have been able to eat another morsel. His morning had started out so well with the thoughts of spending a few hours alone with Minerva and attempting to build a more personal relationship with the one woman who had captured his attentions. But before he could truly enjoy the nervous feelings of a first date with her, she had slashed his hopes and assumed that he had wanted a professional meeting. Excusing himself from the table, he walked quietly and slowly back to his chambers in the hopes of regaining his composure before facing his first class of the day.

Minerva, on the other hand, sat at her usual place at the Head Table and wondered what had happened to suddenly cause Albus' departure. They had been having such a lovely discussion and he had been teasing her a bit but she had not reprimanded him for it. In fact, she had rather enjoyed his gentle and playful attitude. It made her feel special and a bit entranced at times, especially when his eyes would meet hers. No longer feeling the happiness from earlier in the morning, she left the table and walked gracefully to her classroom to set up an exercise for her first group.

The morning progressed slowly for the witch and wizard attempting to focus their energies on their classes. For Albus, he dreaded lunch and having to sit by Minerva and make idle chatter while secretly nursing yet another wounded heart. He longed to make her the object of his affections but each and every time he tried to get closer to her or to invite her on a date, she managed to turn the tables. It was almost as if she didn't want his attentions.

Then again, when he really thought about her actions, things just didn't make sense.

She seemed so interested in everything he said. She looked at him differently than the other male professors and they enjoyed quiet chess games at least twice a week. She had always made an effort to speak to him first thing in the mornings and they were usually the last to leave the staff room at night. Sighing heavily, he realized that it was nearing lunch and that meant another chance to see Minerva. Shaking his head as he walked in deep contemplation, he hoped that something would happen to give him some indication of her feelings for him.

In another part of the castle, Minerva gave her young charges their assignments and allowed them to work in pairs during class. She felt that would be best since her mind had been elsewhere this particular day. She was still puzzled about Albus' behavior at breakfast and after replaying the events in her mind, she was still at a loss for what had caused his mood shift.

It worried her to think that she might be the reason he had left earlier than usual. It had recently been their custom to finish breakfast together and then walk at least halfway to class together, until he had to take a different set of stairs to reach his classroom. Lately, it seemed that he had been sending her mixed messages. First he wanted to speak with her about something but when she pressed the issue, he told her it was not important. Then he requested yet another meeting on the weekend, only to discover that he no longer desired that meeting either.

With a pained heart, Minerva thought over the last few weeks. They had not played chess as often as she would've liked nor had their table conversations been as lively or as interesting as they once were. She felt that he was holding something back from her and yet he seemed to be the same wonderful man that she longed to share more of her time with. She hoped that whatever had transpired at breakfast would be resolved and that he would be the brilliant man she so deeply admired and cherished.

Unfortunately, as Minerva entered the Great Hall, she could tell that Albus was a bit happier but still not himself. He held her chair for her as she sat but when she turned to strike up a conversation with him, she found him reading a book on transfiguration, which he never did at the table. Several tense moments followed as she considered her options. Finally, she broke into the silence and engaged him in conversation but something was missing.

Then she noticed what it was. The twinkle in his eyes had disappeared. The one feature she adored about her old professor had been the way his eyes seemed to radiate a warmth and a childlike quality that made everyone around him happy. One look into those eyes could vanish all ill feelings and set the world right side up again when it had been toppled over by a horrible day. How many times had she peered into his eyes and found compassion and understanding reflected there? Often she had hoped to see something more but a bit of her believed that he was far beyond her reach. But the troubling part was that she knew it was her fault that his eyes had lost that familiar sparkle. Now, if she could only discover what she had done and then make every attempt to correct it things might be restored to normal.

Just as Albus was about to leave, Minerva reached over and placed her hand on his arm. Peering down at her, he offered a half-hearted smile and quietly sat back down in his chair and faced the lovely witch.

"Albus, I would very much like it if we could play a game of chess this evening. I always find it relaxing to spend time with you while we play chess. What do you say? Are you terribly busy this evening?"

Once again, Albus felt his heart begin to beat faster in his chest. He was almost certain that if she looked hard enough, she might be able to see it through his robes. Hoping that this was the sign he had asked for he readily agreed. Then she added a twist that would dramatically improve the remainder of his day.

"Oh that sounds wonderful. But I have one small request." Raising his eyebrows in a questioning glance banished the need for words so she continued. "You see, every time we meet in the staff room after dinner, I always feel like we're being watched. It's almost as if we are a 'show' for the other professors. I know that our chess skills are equally matched but it's a bit unnerving at times. Would you care to meet me in your classroom instead?"

"Minerva, that sounds like an excellent idea and I would very much like to join you this evening. I shall look forward to it. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get some papers graded so that I may keep our scheduled game. See you at dinner."

The afternoon practically flew by and Albus couldn't help the smile that played about his lips. He had started the day off in a great mood, which had turned depressing, only to have it lighten up again and all because of one woman's attentions. He chuckled to himself that his must surely be love but he wasn't ready to risk exposing his heart just yet. He wanted to see how their time alone went before even thinking of asking her for a proper date.

Back in her classroom, Minerva hummed a quiet Scottish tune as she prepared for her last class of the day. She had never seen such a drastic change come over someone as quickly as Albus had reacted just a few short hours ago. She felt pleased that he had accepted her offer for a more intimate setting and part of her wished that she had the courage to show him how she truly felt. But she was not willing to risk his friendship. For now, she would take what little time she could get and make the most of it.

After dinner, Albus and Minerva remained behind at the staff table and pretended to be deep in a discussion on the major points of a difficult transfiguration. Their colleagues knew that such a debate could take hours and become highly technical so one by one they left the table and retired to their private chambers or the staff room. As the last person left, Albus offered Minerva his arm and they walked leisurely towards his classroom.

While he arranged a small table and set up the pieces on the board, Minerva took the liberty of creating two comfortable chairs from the wooden ones normally occupied by their students. Once everything was in place, the two friends sat down and enjoyed several hours of quiet conversation, a challenging game, and the ability to be themselves without worrying about the prying eyes of others.

As the game ended and Albus returned to his private living chambers, he couldn't help but feel a bit like a man in love. He had spent an enchanting evening with Minerva, who seemed to be more at ease and had seemed truly concerned about how his week had gone. It was almost as if she were flirting with him at times and that caused his heart to skip more than one beat. Not really willing to rush into another attempt at proposing a more personal date, he thought it best to wait a few more days and see if her behavior continued. If it did, then he would try one last time to ask her out on a real date. One evening away from the school, just the two of them. Maybe dinner, dancing, a leisurely stroll at dusk…anything away from Hogwarts and nosy colleagues. He slipped into bed and tried to dream of their first date as a couple as sleep claimed him.

Minerva sat at her dressing table and brushed her long hair. She noted a broad smile on her face as she studied her reflection in the mirror. Since his departure, her thoughts had been of nothing else but Albus. She recalled his blue eyes and how they sparkled, his warm laughter that caused her to feel happy, his carefree attitude that made her feel even younger. But most of all, she remembered the way he made her feel about herself. When he looked at her, it was almost as if she was the only woman in the world but she quickly chastised herself for thinking such things. She was aware of their age differences but to her that didn't matter. She had steadily grown more and more in love with him over the years but had never dreamed he could feel the same way about her. As her head hit the pillow, she closed her eyes and tried to imagine what it would be like to feel his arms around her, his body pulling hers closer to him, and his lips softly pressing against her own. Drifting off to sleep, the images continued to invade her dreams and she found herself being whisked away in the most wonderful of fantasies.

Two days later, Albus found himself in front of a muggle shop in Glasgow where the best ginger newt cookies were to be found, at least according to the advice of several witches who were friends of the family. The shop smelled of delicious goodies and Albus eagerly hurried inside. He had decided yesterday, during an attempt at grading papers when his mind was obviously taken with a green eyed witch, how he would ask Minerva on a date. Since his attempts so far had yielded very little success, a different tact was necessary. With those thoughts and feelings still fresh in his memory, he decided to bring her tea in the afternoon and actually have a conversation before he proposed the night out. In this way, he hoped to avoid any confusion and finally get a straight answer.

The shop had obviously been around for some time but was immaculate in its' presentation. An elderly woman came out of the back and offered Albus assistance. As he ordered the desired number of cookies, and several treats, which sparked the interest of his sweet tooth, he noticed a display of loose teas. He had found out from the house elves in the kitchen that Minerva preferred a special blend of tea, which she always brewed herself. He had been disappointed but perusing their selection he thought perhaps one of these homemade blends would appeal to her as well.

The proprietor helpfully let him smell several varieties until one caught his senses. It was a bit unusual but perhaps that is why it stood out. He could almost see Minerva smile as the aroma assaulted his senses. Before thinking further, he told the grandmotherly lady to bag some up to take with him. She volunteered that it was a blend of English Breakfast, cinnamon and cloves and in her opinion the best they had to offer. Feeling rather proud of himself, Albus left the shop and happily contemplated tomorrow afternoon when he would finally be able to properly ask a certain lovely witch out on their first date.

The next day found Minerva busily grading papers. Life had become overwhelming again and she had to ask herself if it was truly necessary to require so many feet of parchment on her assignments. She also had some ideas to work on for the staff meeting on the following day and her paper on the heightened senses of those who were animagi needed to be completed before publication in a couple months. The paper was very important and she had received an owl that morning from the journal asking after its' status. With a heavy sigh, she put her head in her hands and started to rub her temples.

"It seems that I am just in time."

Minerva looked up in surprise to find Albus striding through the door with a tea service in his hands. It smelled and looked wonderful and Minerva gave him a tentative smile before she realized that she really didn't have time to visit. She wished desperately that she could take a few minutes to banter with him but if she didn't get all the stuff that kept piling up completed, she would have a nervous breakdown. Before she could speak the first word, Albus was sitting across from her and setting the tea down on top of the papers she had just been working on. For her it was the last straw in a very stressful day.

"Albus really! I truly appreciate your stopping by but I simply don't have time to visit just now. Perhaps we could schedule a visit for some future date when I will be more readily available." As soon as the words left her mouth, Minerva realized she had let her tongue get ahead of her mind. She had sounded very harsh and found a blush spreading up her neck.

At the look on his face, she closed her eyes and swallowed. When she opened them again, she made sure she was looking anywhere but at him. She decided to leave the papers she had been working on and with a mumbled apology started to leave. If only she had chanced a glance at the upset wizard, she would have had some warning. As it was, the first hint of danger only hit when she heard the words leave his lips.

"Petrificus Totalus."

Minerva's fall was cushioned by a well-placed charm and she felt herself lifted and placed against a nearby wall. Her anger was bubbling, along with a bit of embarrassment at having been caught off guard. With a flick of his wrist, the Transfiguration Professor had sealed and put a silencing charm on the door. When Minerva's eyes finally located his, the emotions she saw hit her like a bucket of cold water. She had never seen him so irate and she now realized why he was so feared by others.

"I have tried to be reasonable Minerva but you have gone too far. Do you realize how much trouble I went through? I inquired of everyone I knew to find the best ginger newts in all the United Kingdom because they are your favorite biscuits. I even bought a special blend of tea, which reminded me of you since the house elves said you prepare your own. I can only assume that you were acting on what you thought were my best interests and that you were attempting not to hurt me with an outright rejection. But you have caused far more pain with your apparent unawareness in regards to my overtures. Not once, not twice but now three times you have ignored my obvious attempts at asking you out on a date. If you did not wish to pursue a relationship with me then a simple explanation would have sufficed. I would not have made myself look a fool all this time and my heart would not feel so numb."

Albus seemed to have lost his spark as he continued. "I apologize for your current predicament. I am afraid that I acted without thinking and I hope you will forgive me for it. Be assured Professor McGonagall that in the future I will only address you in professional terms and please consider my pursuit of you at an end. In fact, I would prefer it if you would not mention my advances in the future. If you do not wish to forget them entirely."

With a wave of his wand, Minerva collapsed onto the floor. She watched Albus' retreating form from her doorway still unable to make herself speak. Slowly she rose and walked over to where he had set down what was to be their afternoon tea. Raising a cup with the steaming liquid to her lips, she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Her heart contracted painfully as the hot liquid slid down her throat. Somehow Albus had managed to find her favorite tea.

Back in his own private chambers, Albus collapsed into a chair and tried to calm his racing heart. He had been so angry and yet so hurt by Minerva's actions. He had not meant to lose his temper but he had put so much time and effort into arranging the special teatime and she had callously dismissed him without even a hint of remorse. That was what pained him most, the lack of respect for a friend. Now, he feared that he had not only lost his chance at true happiness with the woman who occupied his waking thoughts but also his best friend and confidant that worked with him on a daily basis.

Minerva sank into the chair that would have been occupied by Albus had they actually had tea. His words were still ringing in her ears as she replayed the scene that had happened moments earlier. He had mentioned something about two other attempts to ask for her for a proper date and her obvious rejection but as hard as she tried, she could not remember him ever suggesting a real date.

Another tear slid down her pale cheek as she thought of all the trouble he must've gone through to find the tin of ginger newts from the best shop and how surprised she had been that he had located her favorite blend of tea. No other person could have told him the specific blend. It must've been something he just realized and that made it all the more difficult to swallow. He had grown to know her so well that he was able to distinguish her favorite blend from dozens of other choices. Images from the last few weeks flashed through her mind as she inhaled deeply and wondered how she had damaged the most important relationship she had ever had. Then the images seemed to form a connecting theme in her mind.

Albus had mentioned two previous attempts and for some reason he had been upset with her twice in the past couple of weeks. Before long, she realized that each time he had become distant from her, he had also had a private chat with her just prior to his mood shift. Slowly she pieced together the events and her heart broke into pieces. How could she have been so blind? For years, she had dreamed of a more intimate relationship with this remarkable man but never had she dared contemplate that it might become a reality. Now she had to face the truth…she had been offered the one thing she wanted more than anything in this world and had turned it down twice because of her lack of attention. _I will not let the sun go down this evening without telling him exactly what I feel in my heart. Then if he rejects me, I shall deserve every heartbreaking minute of it._

Gathering up her courage and drying her eyes, Minerva transfigured several spare quills into a lovely and fragrant bouquet of flowers and placed them carefully on the tea service. After casting a warming spell on the teapot and then a levitating charm, she made her way to Albus' private rooms with the lovely fine china floating behind her effortlessly. Upon reaching his chamber door, she took a steadying breath and lightly tapped on the large barrier separating them.

Albus had been so deep in his thoughts of failed attempts at courting that he failed to hear the light knocking on his door. It was Fawkes who finally made enough noise to alert him to a visitor. Not feeling particularly welcoming, he hoped he would be able to convince his visitor that he was extremely busy and had no time for idle chatter at the moment. But when he opened the door, all thoughts were swept away.

A flustered Minerva McGonagall stood before the threshold of his door, now holding the beautiful tea service and looking rather sad. He noticed that her cheeks were slightly flushed and her eyes appeared pink, as if she had been shedding tears. Before he could question her further, she spoke. "Albus, I need to speak privately with you. May I please come in so that we may talk?" Moving from the doorway, he bid her entrance into his sitting room and took the object from her hands, setting it on a nearby table.

Albus sat down on the couch, opposite the fire, and Minerva felt the uneasiness that had slipped between them. She quietly sat in a chair beside the couch and wondered exactly where to begin. She remembered the pained look in his eyes from several incidents in the past few weeks and her mind was made up. She had to tell him the entire truth and lay her own heart out for him to either accept or reject.

"Albus, let me first apologize for my behavior this evening. Once again, I let my words get ahead of my thoughts. I had no intention of hurting your feelings and for that I sincerely apologize. I…"

"Think nothing of it Minerva. You have made you intentions perfectly clear and as I stated earlier, I shall no longer seek your hand in a more private relationship. On that you have my word." Looking into the fire, she could sense the growing distance between them and if she didn't act quickly, she might lose him forever.

"But Albus, I need to explain." Clearing her throat, she looked into his pale blue eyes that seemed so sad and that no longer held their sparkle for her and continued. "Albus, for years I have dreamed of falling in love with a handsome man who would make me feel like the only woman in the world. I have longed and hoped for one man in particular to fall hopelessly in love with me but for some reason I never truly believed it would happen. And then one day it did. Only I was too caught up in my work and responsibilities to notice."

A look of confusion flashed in Albus' eyes as he stared at Minerva. He wanted to believe that the man was he but she had been so adamant at refusing his advances, he found it hard to comprehend. "Minerva, really. There is no need to continue. I can accept the fact that you have fallen in love with someone. I only wish that you had told me that weeks ago, before I had my heart broken so many times."

Minerva noticed that her speech was not going as well as she had hoped. He had obviously fallen prey to the same demon that had plagued her. He did not dare to dream that she could be speaking of him and yet she had to make him see the truth. Only she had a much better idea than using a curse any first year could perform. Rising regally from her chair, she joined him on the couch and sat down right next to him.

"Albus, earlier this evening you told me that a simple explanation would have sufficed and now I fear that we are beyond words." Slowly, Minerva brought her hand up to cup his cheek as her thumb slowly stroked his face. With one last thought of the butterflies swarming in her stomach, Minerva leaned her head closer to Albus until her lips pressed softly against his.

A moment of hesitation on both sides offered them the luxury of getting comfortable with the situation. Albus opened his eyes and noticed that Minerva had closed her emerald green ones, just as she moved her hand from his cheek to the base of his neck. Closing his eyes once more, he became intoxicated with the woman before him. Before he even had a chance to react, Minerva sensed him relax and she deepened the kiss, allowing her tongue and hands to say what her voice could not.

Pulling apart was not easy for either one but the need for a breath of air could be a demanding thing. Staring into his face, Minerva found her voice, although it was barely above a whisper.

"Albus, I have been in love with you for years but I feared that you would never think of me as more than a colleague. I failed to notice your advances because I never believed you could love me as I love you. Can you ever forgive me and give me a second chance?"

Staring into the loving face of the woman who starred in his wildest dreams, he couldn't help but smile at her. In an attempt to lighten the mood, he responded with a simple sentence that spoke more than any well rehearsed speech. "Can I give you my answer after a second kiss, my dear?" Drawing her even closer to him, he slowly and sensually took his time in caressing her as she ran her hands though his long hair and along his shoulders.

Luckily for the witch and wizard, the night was still young so neither was in a rush to end the evening. After several intense moments of tender embraces and loving words, they settled down and enjoyed the tea that Albus had prepared for them earlier in the evening. Albus chuckled as he recounted the various attempts he made to ask her on a date and she blushed with each offered apology. Before nightfall, the air had been cleared, wounds had been mended but most importantly two people had found love in the arms of the other.

Albus escorted Minerva back to her own living quarters shortly before midnight that evening. Before leaving, he took one of her hands in his and brushed his lips against the back of it ever so softly. "Minerva, would you do me the honor of joining me on an official first date this weekend?"

"Only if you promise to kiss me again before the clock chimes midnight." Neither heard the clock as it tolled away the hour for they were lost in a new embrace. Feeling more alive and happier than either could ever remember, they easily fell asleep that night. However, their dreams of warm, passionate kisses had been replaced with the memories of actual ones and the possibilities of new ones. And for Albus Dumbledore, he had an entire two days to plan the most romantic date any woman could ever wish for so that he could properly sweep one Minerva McGonagall off her feet and into his waiting arms for a lifetime.

**_Finite_ **


End file.
